So then that part happened where I joined the Army.

[Zeke]

Rather, I'm in the process of joining. Stocking grocery can't cut it for me anymore. I'm not making enough to live or pay off my student loan. I hate my job, I resent my employers and customers, I need to learn skills that I can put toward a career. The Army can give me those skills, will forgive my loans, and give me a place to live. So I'm joining. The process is why I haven't been posting to RP stuff. Mostly it's been gathering paperwork for them to process. I also took the ASVAB (scored 93 total, too many job choices to pick from), and tomorrow I take the DLAB which is their language comprehension test. If I make it and earn super badass clearance I can nail this high-speed intelligence MOS that'll be rewarding and challenging and make me the hot ticket in civilian land. Otherwise, I'll probably fix computer equipment or people.

Going to try to find time to make my posts up soon, and try to rig some system whereby Justin can post for me while I'm off at training without computer access. I'm really excited about this. This will be a big boost for my self-esteem and general well-being.

[Ilias Nytrau]

:eee

'Grats, Jason!

You're the shit. No, really.

[Dasquian Belargic]

That's awesome. Kick some ass. Figuratively and perhaps literally.

[Droo]

Nothing like a positive change. Congratulations, mate!

[Loklorien s'Ilancy]

Good job man!

[Dee]

Epic news! Congratulations!

http://i37.tinypic.com/2ensxme.jpg

[John Glayde]

I'm a military brat, so I've always held servicemen in pretty high esteem.

Mucho respect dude, and fingers crossed for you landing the intelligence gig!

[Charley]

Service guarantees citizenship! Would you like to know more?

[Sansa]

Congrats! I've been following your Army-joining shenanigans on Facebook. :)

[Pierce Tondry]

Good luck Zeke! *salute*

[Zeke]

You guys make me happy. Update time!

I passed my DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery) so now I am a 35P (Cryptologic Linguist), which means they'll teach me a foreign language then put me to work translating enemy transmissions and documents so we can figure out wtf they're up to over there. Can't wait, this is exactly the job I wanted to do. I ship off to Basic on November 5th. Gonna go make ALL THE POAST.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Very cool! Good luck with that, I'm terrible with languages.

Edit: except English, I'm quite good with that one

[Ilias Nytrau]

Remember, remember the 5th of November? :lol

Anyway, that job sounds pretty spiffy! Congrats again! :glomp

[Jedieb]

You guys make me happy. Update time!

I passed my DLAB (Defense Language Aptitude Battery) so now I am a 35P (Cryptologic Linguist), which means they'll teach me a foreign language then put me to work translating enemy transmissions and documents so we can figure out wtf they're up to over there. Can't wait, this is exactly the job I wanted to do. I ship off to Basic on November 5th. Gonna go make ALL THE POAST.

You poor bastard....

Well, congratulations. You're joining the finest military in the world. Few quick questions, do you know where you're going for Basic? Have they given you a location for AIT? What about your paygrade? My ASVAB was in the 90's as well and I was able to parlay that into a decent MOS, a 71D (Legal Specialist), but I was 17 and naive and went in as an E1. I should have been able to negotiate at least an E2 or E3 and gone in as PFC.

[Zeke]

You poor bastard....

Well, congratulations. You're joining the finest military in the world. Few quick questions, do you know where you're going for Basic? Thanks! :D Don't know where Basic is yet. Lot of guesses for Ft. Jackson tho.


Have they given you a location for AIT?

According to http://usmilitary.about.com/od/enlistedjobs/a/97l.htm

Defense Language Institute for six to 18 months, depending on language selected for.

Cryptologic Linguist Training Course at Goodfellow Air Force Base, TX, 10 - 16 weeks, depending on language. I do believe the DLI is in California somewhere.


What about your paygrade? My stepdad has a handy chart somewhere and he's researching that now, should know tomorrow sometime.


My ASVAB was in the 90's as well and I was able to parlay that into a decent MOS, a 71D (Legal Specialist), but I was 17 and naive and went in as an E1. I should have been able to negotiate at least an E2 or E3 and gone in as PFC. I'll start E3 and be E4 at the start of my 2nd year.

[Jedieb]

That's great news about your pay grade. I shuddered when you mentioned Ft. Jackson, that's where I went. In some respects, it was simply the WORST 8 weeks of my life. The mental strain was ridiculous. It was much more arduous mentally, than physically.

On the plus side, I've read that BT has actually changed over the last few years. I went to Ft. Jackson back in the summer of 1988. Even then our DI's told us stories of things they weren't allowed to do to us that were done to them when they had gone through BT in the 70's. In the 70's, if some Private dared to act the fool DI's could escort him into the office and straighten him out. Basically, after a quick meeting, everyone would walk out of the office, the Private would have a bloody nose and the problem was resolved. Things were even worse in the early 70's at the height of the Vietnam War.

The BEST representation I've ever seen of Basic Training on film was Full Metal Jacket. Being asked to lean forward so your DI could choke you? That shit happened all the time. Blanket parties? That's how you and your fellow soldiers straightened idiots out who were getting the platoon in trouble all the time. By the time I went to Basic those things were getting phased out. We had an imbecile in our platoon who we considered giving a blanket party to, but we were basically told that wasn't tolerated... any more.

BTW, how old are you? I'm just asking because being only 17 was definitely an advantage. At age 27 I think Basic would have killed me. Right now I don't think I'd survive the bus ride to the barracks.

[Zeke]

Haha, my basic is actually happening at Ft. Jackson as well! I'm 28 years old. I feel like I'm more mentally prepared than I would be if I'd joined right out of high school, but I would've been more physically prepared back then. I think I'll do fine.

I had my physical, which I passed, then signed my contract and was sworn in. Five years of service as 35P, enlisting as E3 (Private First Class), doing my AIT as stated above for that MOS. Shipping out November 5th! So excited.

[Banner Laverick]

:glompProud of you

[Park Kraken]

Congratulations.

[Jedieb]

Haha, my basic is actually happening at Ft. Jackson as well! I'm 28 years old. I feel like I'm more mentally prepared than I would be if I'd joined right out of high school, but I would've been more physically prepared back then. I think I'll do fine.

I had my physical, which I passed, then signed my contract and was sworn in. Five years of service as 35P, enlisting as E3 (Private First Class), doing my AIT as stated above for that MOS. Shipping out November 5th! So excited.

That's pretty quick. Don't know how fit you are, but start running now! You'll run practically every day. You'll be "grabbing the ground" and doing pushups till you drop, literally. It doesn't matter how strong or in shape you are, you will be made to do push ups until you can't anymore. The strongest guy in the world is no match for a DI who gets to stand and watch you work.

Back in 88 we'd get Saturday afternoons off and Sunday was pretty much a free day. I'm curious as to what access you'll have to the outside world. The only access we had to family and friends was the daily mail call and 5-10 minutes on a pay phone on Sunday. I have no idea what access you'll have to cell phones or the net. I'm curious as to how the Army handles that now.

Are your 5 years all active or are the last couple on IRR (Inactive Ready Reserve)? IRR can be a bit nerve wracking. You think you're done, but you can be recalled to Active Duty at any time. With every thing that's been going tons of guys (and gals) have found themselves called back to service.

BTW, Nov.-early Jan. shouldn't be too bad in South Carolina. The winters down there aren't too severe, but you'll be out every morning at 5am so it's going to be pretty cold. But you'll warm up soon enough. The standing/sitting and waiting and waiting and waiting will be brutal though.

[Zeke]

5 years active, 3 years IRR for a total 8 years. I know they're gonna lock my phone up in a secure area, I don't think they'll give it back on phone call day (though if they do, I probably still won't get more than 10 minutes on it), so I'm mostly relying on snail mail to talk to people.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Well if you want letters/cards I'm going to need an address to send them to. :D

[Zeke]

I'm told that I'll be there a few days, then I'll get an address and a phone call out to someone who can tell that address to people. Justin is the designated Address Dispenser, so he should make a post somewhere on here so any/all of you who want to write can do so.

[Lilaena De'Ville]

Awesome :) good luck!

[Jedieb]

I encourage every member who posts here to drop Zeke a letter or post card. I can't tell you how much it means to a soldier to receive mail during Basic or active duty. Mail usually comes at the end of the day after dinner. It's often the highlight of the day. After getting ragged out all day the thrill of getting letters from friends and loved ones is immense. And a few days without mail can add to the stress.

My sister wrote me almost every day I was at Ft. Jackson and I still have those letters. I treasure them. Get that address over here, I'm sure I've got some Star Wars postcards in what's left of my collection. They'll be on their way!

[Zeke]

I really am looking forward to mail call and building my own little stack of letters and post cards. Thanks for your advice and support, Jedieb.

[Sam]

Rock on, dude. Get us your address and there shall be flattened dead trees sent your way.